Activities - Stage 5

NEW—Science Karst Walk

SC5-12ES, SC5-13ES, SC5-14LW, SC5-15LW

Students learn:

how the theory of plate tectonics changed ideas about the structure of the Earth and continental movement over geological time,
how the theory of plate tectonics explains earthquakes, volcanic activity and formation of new landforms,
how global systems rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, including the carbon cycle (ACSSU189),
that ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment (ACSSU176),
how energy flows through ecosystems, including input and output through food webs (ACSSU176),
how changes in some biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem affect populations and/or communities,
ways that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ cultural practices and knowledge of the environment contribute to the conservation and management of sustainable ecosystems,
to evaluate some examples in ecosystems, of strategies used to balance conserving, protecting and maintaining the quality and sustainability of the environment with human activities and needs,
to describe scientific evidence that present-day organisms have evolved from organisms in the past,
to relate the fossil record to the age of the Earth and the time over which life has been evolving.

NEW—Science in the Chifley

SC5-13ES, SC5-15LW , SC5-12ES, SC5-16CW, SC5-17CW, SC5-14LW

Students learn:

the dynamic nature of models, theories and laws in developing scientific understanding of the Earth,
how advances in scientific understanding of processes that occur in the Earth, influence the choices about resource use and management,
how the theory of plate tectonics changed ideas about the structure of the Earth and continental movement over geological time, and explains earthquakes, volcanic activity and formation of new landforms,
how global systems rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, including the carbon cycle (ACSSU189),
about interactions between components and processes within biological systems,
how biological understanding has advanced through scientific discoveries, technological developments and the needs of society,
examples of how multicellular organisms respond to changes in their environment,
that ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment (ACSSU176),
that energy flows through ecosystems, including input and output through food webs (ACSSU176),
how changes in some biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem affect populations and/or communities,
examples in ecosystems, of strategies used to balance conserving, protecting and maintaining the quality and sustainability of the environment with human activities and needs,
how theories and laws about matter have been refined as new scientific evidence becomes available,
to investigate a range of chemical reactions that occur in non-living systems and involve energy transfer, including combustion (ACSSU179), the reaction of acids including metals and carbonates (ACSSU179), corrosion, precipitation, neutralisation, decomposition, respiration and reactions involving acids as in digestion (ACSSU179),
to construct word equations from observations and written descriptions of a range of chemical reactions,
that new substances are formed during chemical reactions by rearranging atoms rather than creating or destroying them.

The Lucas Cave Tour

SC5-13ES, SC5-15LW, SC5-17CW

Students learn:

how plate tectonics created the Great Dividing Range
the impact of natural events, such as floods,
about the communities of interdependent organisms that live in and around the caves, the rare animals, the fossilised lifeforms that have lived at Jenolan in ages past, the effect of changes to the ecosystem,
how Jenolan balances conservation, and sustainability with human activities and needs,
about the chemical reaction that forms calcite crystal, and the gases that are present in caves – radon, methane and carbon dioxide. Students can hear about the K-Ar dating method that has established the age of the caves.

Adventure Caving

PDHPE—5.1, 5.2, 5.10, 5.13, 5.14

Geared up with personal head-lamps and overalls, students will negotiate squeezes, climbs and crawls, and feel like real explorers, while learning about the cave environment up close. Environmentally responsible and overseen by expert guides, it is a fantastic way to explore the underworld. The students must help each other and rely on teamwork to make their way through the caves.

There are Adventure Caves to suit different ages and group sizes. The Plughole Adventure includes an abseil into the entrance, weather permitting. (For students age 10 and over.)

Adventure Caving is popular with schools, as it helps children develop a positive self-concept in a unique, non-competitive, yet challenging, physical activity. Many students that try Adventure Caving, will take it up as a sport later on, along with rappelling, rock climbing, canyoning, hiking, mountain biking and similar mountain based activities.

Adventure caving involves helping each other, learning amazing new skills, focusing, manoeuvring through unfamiliar and difficult terrain and even making friends. Carefully crawling, climbing, balancing, squeezing, even abseiling, involves flexibility and the use of all muscle groups. Without the need to be ‘athletic’, Adventure caving is highly inclusive, beneficial for boys, girls and teachers.

Exploring a deep, undeveloped cave like a real speleologist brings students as close to nature as they can possibly get. Importantly, students can immediately feel the positive results of working together, listening, obeying instructions from experts and carefully controlling their movements. Caving is a challenging and exhilarating lifestyle activity that is increasing popular.

Students learn:

self-confidence and how to improve their capacity to manage challenging circumstances,
how they can support their own and others’ sense of self,
to reflect on and respond positively to challenges,
to participate in and promote enjoyable lifelong physical activity,
to enhance their own and others’ enjoyment of physical activity,
to adopt roles and responsibilities that enhance group cohesion and the achievement of personal and group objectives,
to confidently uses movement to satisfy personal needs and interests.